Fig. 3. Representative fluorescence micrographs of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining and quantification of apoptotic motor neurons (  n = 8). (  A–C ) Representative fluorescence micrographs of TUNEL staining in the ventral horn of spinal cord of L4 segments from animals in the sham, control (Con), and ethyl pyruvate (EP) groups at 72 h after reperfusion, respectively. Few fluorescent motor neurons were shown in the sham group (  A ). A large number of fluorescent motor neurons were visible in the control group (  B ), whereas only a small number of fluorescent motor neurons were observed in the EP-treated group (  C ). The  arrow indicates normal motor neurons, and the  arrowhead indicates TUNEL-positive motor neurons. Scale bars = 50 μm. (  D ) Quantitative analysis of the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the anterior horn of spinal cord of L4 segments in three groups. Data are expressed as means ± SEM of eight rats in each group. *  P < 0.01  versus control group. N.D. = not detected.